Blackwater

by Jeannette Arroyo, Ren Graham

Overview

Riverdale meets Stranger Things in this debut queer YA graphic novel, developed from a hit webcomic. Set in the haunted town of Blackwater, Maine, two boys fall for each other as they dig for clues to a paranormal mystery.

"For fans of Heartstopper and Teen Wolf." —School Library Journal

Tony Price is a popular high school track star and occasional delinquent aching for his dad’s attention and approval. Eli Hirsch is a quiet boy with a chronic autoimmune disorder that has ravaged his health and social life. What happens when these two become unlikely friends (and a whole lot more . . .) in the spooky town of Blackwater, Maine? Werewolf curses, unsavory interactions with the quarterback of the football team, a ghostly fisherman haunting the harbor, and tons of high school drama.

Co-illustrated by Jeannette Arroyo and Ren Graham, who alternate drawing chapters in their own unique and dynamic styles, Blackwater combines the spookiness of Anya's Ghost with the irreverent humor of Nimona.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250893048
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	07/19/2022
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	97 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jeannette Arroyo was born and raised in New Mexico but recently relocated to the rainier Seattle area. In addition to her first graphic novel, Blackwater, she has also done freelance in animation and children’s book illustrations. A huge fan of the horror genre, Jeannette likes to mix in some lighthearted spooky elements in her work. Co-created with Ren Graham, Blackwater is her debut graphic novel.

Ren Graham is a fiction writer and illustrator currently residing in the rainy Pacific Northwest. They have B.A. in Art History and a graduate studies certificate in Science Illustration, so biology, world mythology, and natural elements tend to influence and reappear in their work. Ren is interested in spooky stories, chilly hikes in the woods, and the ways in which art and science intersect. Co-created with Jeannette Arroyo, Blackwater is their debut graphic novel.

Editorial Reviews

05/30/2022

In this tense, character-driven supernatural drama, originally a webcomic, high schoolers Tony Price and Eli Hirsch forge a tender romance while a creature terrorizes their town’s woods. Puerto Rican–cued track star Tony, who hides his asthma from his peers, frequently butts heads with his inattentive father; meanwhile, trans, Jewish Eli, who has an undisclosed autoimmune disorder, struggles to make friends as his dismissive mother chips away at his self-esteem. When Eli catches Tony’s eye, Tony starts defending him from bullies including Tony’s childhood friend, and the two embark on an endearing courtship. Joined by cued-Black supernatural enthusiast Marcia, they investigate reports of something lurking in Blackwater’s woods, and Eli reveals he can see and interact with ghosts—specifically, a fisherman who seems to know the forest’s secrets. Arroyo and Graham alternate illustrating each chapter, rendered in grayscale with a small-town atmosphere. Arroyo portrays Tony’s narrative with kinetic art and layered paneling, while Graham offers thicker brushwork that elegantly depicts Blackwater’s landscapes through Eli’s eyes. Together, the creators weave a compelling high school drama, begetting adolescent growth through a captivating occult lens. Ages 14–up. (July) ■

Publishers Weekly

"While werewolves and ghosts, bullies and family dynamics are all worthy subjects, Eli and Tony are just so darn shippable that the rest is all gravy. " —Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

"Together, the creators weave a compelling high school drama [and] a tender romance." —Publishers Weekly

" For fans of the Heartstopper series and Teen Wolf." —School Library Journal

"The co-creators weave together dread, drama and humor in a suspenseful, successful queer romantic mystery." —Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

07/22/2022

Gr 9 Up—Appropriately marketed as "Riverdale meets Stranger Things," this title is a queer romance with a paranormal twist, originally found on WEBTOON and now published as the first volume of a new series. Tony is a popular track star of Black Puerto Rican heritage who meets Eli, a white trans boy who has an autoimmune disorder. They become unlikely friends, and a tentative new romance later develops between them as they encounter ghostly beings and werewolves, all while dealing with high school drama. The book is illustrated by its two creators, Arroyo and Graham, who alternate drawing chapters in their own styles. At first, this takes some getting used to, but readers will quickly adapt. The styles complement each other; one is softer for the romantic subplot, the other a bit edgier. VERDICT For fans of Heartstopper and Teen Wolf, the blend of horror, sly humor, and an intriguing cliff-hanger will ensure readers return for the next volume. A recommended purchase for all YA graphic novel collections.—Nancy McKay

School Library Journal

2022-04-27
Blackwater, Maine, isn’t an ordinary town, but Eli Hirsch and Tony Price are mostly ordinary boys.

Eli, a trans Jewish boy, is isolated by an autoimmune disease, an overbearing mother, and a standoffish attitude. Popular track star Tony, who is cued as Puerto Rican, fights with his distant father and is watching his childhood best friend turn into a bully. But mysterious things are afoot: Tony is bitten by a werewolf, and Eli is being followed by a ghost. Trying to unravel the werewolf curse, Tony, Eli, and Marcia, Tony’s levelheaded goth friend who reads as Black, investigate, coming across intriguing complications and haunting dangers. The horror elements are playful, spooky, but not too frightening, providing a backdrop that adds to the developing relationship between the boys. Despite some animosity, they accept one another exactly as they are, with no pretenses, as their friendship turns into a mutual crush. There’s a kind earnestness to their connection, particularly Tony’s easygoing support toward Eli’s chronic illness. An exciting element lies in the artwork: The creators illustrate alternate chapters, with Arroyo’s vivid and dynamic lines and more cartoonish style serving action scenes well and Graham’s precise approach highlighting more heartfelt, character-driven moments. The styles blend together seamlessly to make a stronger whole. However, the story, while breezy and enjoyable, feels incomplete, missing details that would make characters and their emotional arcs more complex.

A romantic romp through the supernatural. (Graphic horror. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews